Light 3
7:07:02 PM Nation: So, Light had finished his meeting with M, who turned out to be a woman named Moray, and had agreed to meet her two days hence for dinner. 7:08:02 PM Light: Light is now fretting about the idea that he may have asked her out on a date. 7:09:09 PM Nation: He might of. Though she did not get all flushed and flustered by it, so.... maybe not? 7:09:34 PM Light: Light isn't worth getting flushed and flustered over, and besides, his students are the only ones who do that anyway, and he avoids the hell out of them. 7:09:53 PM Light: Light did have one break into his house one time. That was awkward. And then, restraining order. 7:11:55 PM Light: Light thinks she probably ended up at the hospital too. He's not sure. 7:14:12 PM Nation: Well! What do you do after your meeting? 7:16:14 PM Light: Light remembers he's supposed to be home sick, and goes home to at least fake it. And then work on the translation. 7:19:01 PM Nation: Okay! You make some small progress with the the thing. 7:19:36 PM Light: Light drinks tea and eats something substantial before snacking on the macaroons, cursing Rust for making him get fat. 7:22:19 PM Nation: Somewhere, Rust mwahahahas. 7:22:41 PM Light: *Elves.* 7:22:51 PM Light: Light just keeps working until it's time to sleep. 7:28:05 PM Nation: Okey doke. You sleep uninterrupted. 7:29:16 PM Light: Light goes to work the next day. 7:32:22 PM Nation: Not calling in *cough cough* sick? 7:38:00 PM Light: Light will not, no. 7:38:03 PM Light: Light is a responsible person! 7:38:40 PM Nation: All right, so you head to work, then. 7:39:24 PM Light: Light does. With the new hat. 7:59:06 PM Nation: Okay! It is an uneventful day. You have to pick up a bit of slack from yesterday, but. 7:59:52 PM Light: Light doesn't really mind, although it keeps him from more translation work. He stops to try and see Feather again at the hospital on the way home. 8:05:17 PM Nation: It's after dark by the time you leave work, then. 8:07:04 PM Light: Light doesn't mind it. He's a male *mage* and looks like he could put his fist through somebody's skull without too much trouble, though that's not really the case. 8:10:06 PM Nation: Normally, it's not an issue! But tonight, you're sure you're being followed. 8:11:16 PM Light: Light pretends not to notice and then attempts to a. shake his pursuer and b. loop around and accost them. 8:13:34 PM Nation: You spy someone walking behind you a ways. Someone ahead of you, too, somehow keeping a consistent distance away from you. 8:15:17 PM Light: Light gets that old familiar feeling, heart banging away in his chest, palms sweaty... it's not love, it's the war! :( 8:15:48 PM Light: Light tries the doubling back trick. 8:18:15 PM Nation: They seem to maintain a consistent distance away. 8:18:51 PM Light: Light calls out to the one ahead of him. "Hey. What's with the stalking?" 8:22:22 PM Nation: No reply! 8:22:39 PM Light: Light tries the one behind him. 8:25:27 PM Light: HEY. What do you want? 8:26:48 PM Nation: Still no response. They are being very rude at this point. 8:27:19 PM Light: Light takes a deep breath and then runs after one of them. 8:34:50 PM Nation: They were not expecting that! After a moment, the figure starts running, but your'e taller and it woudl appear faster. 8:37:48 PM Light: Light tackles it as soon as he gets close enough! 8:39:23 PM Nation: It is a short, stodgy man dressed in white hat and coat, with eyes obscured by shaded glasses. 8:39:43 PM Light: Light tears the glasses off. 8:40:47 PM Nation: His eyes are glowing, indicating he's got some magical augmentation going on. 8:43:51 PM Light: What the hell do you want? 8:46:30 PM Light: Light punches him in the face before he answers. ... he may be a little keyed up. 8:49:08 PM Nation: He doesn't answer! His eyes flick over your shoulder, though. 8:50:00 PM Light: Light turns him over to use as a human shield in case there's really anything there. 8:55:12 PM Nation: You grab him and spin him around just in time for him to catch a dagger in the shoulder for you! 8:55:55 PM Light: Light gives him a shake. "Answer the damn question and I'll take you to the hospital instead of ripping your throat out!" 9:00:01 PM Nation: You see what you assume is the other figure who was following you, dressed very similarly to the first, reaching into his white coat and pulling out a second dagger. 9:02:15 PM Light: Light ducks behind the first assailant and tries to stand up. 9:03:15 PM Nation: Are you still holding onto the first one? 9:05:04 PM Light: Light is, yep. 9:06:53 PM Nation: The second attacker slings his dagger at you! In mid flight, it turns into a long icicle, long enough to pierce his friend and hit you. 9:09:33 PM Light: Light tosses his friend away and clambers to his feet, bleeding. "Son of a bitch." 9:11:00 PM Light: Light draws his sword. 9:11:04 PM Nation: ((You have a moment to react, if you want.)) 9:11:14 PM Nation: ((Before the icicle hits.)) 9:11:23 PM Light: Light *does* sometimes bring it to work, as it *is* his casting focus. 9:11:27 PM Light: ((Oh, okay!)) 9:11:38 PM Light: Light threw the guy before then, in that case. 9:13:15 PM Nation: Okay! The guy gets impaled on an icicle. It's probably not fatal. 9:13:27 PM Light: Light doesn't care either way! 9:13:33 PM Light: Light stands up and draws his sword now, then! 9:17:52 PM Light: Light tries to impale the son of a bitch with a lightning bolt. 9:19:16 PM Nation: He puts up a ward in front of him hastily, appearing as a sigil floating before him. Your bolt shatters the ward, but not before the ward absorbs teh brunt of the blast. 9:22:42 PM Light: Light then tries to impale the son of a bitch with the sword. 9:23:44 PM Light: Light found that often, people who could fairly well defend against casting were kind of useless when it came to somebody running at them with a sword, and vice versa. 9:23:56 PM Nation: It is certainly true in this case. 9:27:10 PM Light: Light may actually cut him in half. 9:27:16 PM Light: Light is a little keyed up. Just a bit. 9:29:50 PM Nation: Well, his clothes seem enchanted, so you don't get to bisect him. You just get your sword lodged in there. he is most surely dead. 9:31:12 PM Light: Light blinks at him, and pulls his sword away. 9:31:23 PM Light: Light then checks to see if the other guy is still alive. 9:33:15 PM Nation: Nope! 9:34:42 PM Light: ... dammit. 9:35:02 PM Light: Light shakily checks them for identification or anything unusual, actually. 9:35:40 PM Nation: Nope! Well, they both have several silver daggers. 9:36:48 PM Light: Light leaves one on each of them, takes the rest, and goes off to report the incident to law enforcement, still shaking. 9:40:36 PM Light: Light is totally not having a panic attack or an episode of PTSD, or at least he's certainly telling himself so. 9:43:09 PM Nation: That's good! Because the police are alarmed when a large man with a large sword with blood spattered on him walks in. 9:45:56 PM Light: Light probably is, actually. 9:46:10 PM Light: Two people just attacked me on my way home from work. 9:47:10 PM Nation: Inspector: ... and is that... your sword? 9:47:54 PM Light: Yes. Yes it is. 9:48:16 PM Light: ... I think I need a glass of water, because I've just killed two people and that's... 9:48:25 PM Light: ... 9:48:38 PM Light: Light thinks this over, from a very long distance away, or at least, that's what it feels like. 9:48:53 PM Light: ... going to be extremely upsetting any time now, I'm positive. 9:51:27 PM Nation: The inspector nods, and guides you to his office, where he gets you some water. 9:52:28 PM Light: Light picks it up, and wonders why the cup is shaking for several seconds before he works out that it's his hand, and sets the cup back down. 9:52:47 PM Light: Light does tell them the address of where the corpses are. 9:53:19 PM Nation: The inspector dispatches some men. 9:55:08 PM Light: They wouldn't tell me what they wanted. 9:55:15 PM Light: And then one of them tried to stab me. 9:57:40 PM Nation: The Inspector eyes you. You feel a charge in the air, he's using magic, probably to determine your truthiness. I assume you don't stymie it? 9:57:55 PM Light: Light doesn't. 9:58:25 PM Light: ... I bring my sword to work a lot, it's my casting focus. 9:58:49 PM Light: You can verify that with anyone at the school. 10:00:20 PM Light: ... I'm a teacher. 10:01:48 PM Nation: He nods. "I believe you. You have any idea why these people attacked you?" 10:02:28 PM Light: I could make a guess, but... 10:02:49 PM Light: ... I just *really* hope I didn't come down with a mutation and murder two innocent people. 10:05:17 PM Light: I don't know why I killed them. Sure, they were attacking, but I do *know* other means of... 10:06:18 PM Nation: He frowns. He's an elf, by the way. Very clean cut. 10:06:34 PM Light: I don't know why I did that. 10:08:11 PM Nation: Inspector: You were threatened, you responded. The way you were taught to respond, I assume. 10:08:42 PM Light: Yeah. So much for deconditioning, I guess. 10:09:04 PM Light: Light shudders. 10:13:23 PM Light: ... can I just... sign something and go home? 10:14:43 PM Nation: He nods. "I'll have someone see you home. You were attacked, and you defended yourself, that's enough to go on now. Just leave me your name and address for the follow up." 10:16:49 PM Light: Yeah, fine. Thanks. 10:17:12 PM Nation: He gives you some papers to sign. 10:20:44 PM Light: Light reads them first, signs them and heads home. 10:21:34 PM Nation: They bring you home in a carriage, if you want. 10:22:50 PM Light: Light does. He's still shaky. 10:23:20 PM Nation: Your house is empty when you get dropped off. 10:24:24 PM Light: Light turns on all the lamps and lights and does a complete inspection of the house for intruders, and refreshes every single ward and adds more. 10:24:31 PM Light: Light has spiralled into paranoia! 10:26:27 PM | Edited 10:26:38 PM Nation: No one has even touched your wards that you set this morning, so you're good. 10:26:35 PM Light: Light does them over anyway! 10:26:44 PM Light: Light is not being entirely rational here, and knows it. 10:27:23 PM Light: Light just stands in his kitchen for a moment, then, finally, pours a good stiff drink for himself, drags a chair to a corner where he can see all the exits and drinks his drink. 10:29:34 PM Light: Light eventually falls asleep there. (It was a comfy chair.) 10:30:18 PM Nation: ((Brb.)) 5:52:04 PM Light: ((Over here!)) 5:52:27 PM Nation: ((Oh, yeah, forgot.)) 5:53:21 PM Light: Light had gone to sleep with his sword on his lap in an easy chair in a corner, pointing at the entrances. Like a *crazy person.* 5:54:56 PM Nation: You wake up, and Rust is sitting across from you, staring at you, also like a crazy person. He seems to be eating ice cream out of a carton. 5:55:10 PM Light: GAH. 5:55:25 PM Nation: It is still dark out, it would seem. 5:55:58 PM Light: Rust... what the hell are you doing? What *time* is it? 5:56:17 PM Light: ... and you owe me a pint of chunky monkey. 5:56:37 PM Nation: Rust: I'm eating rum raisin ice cream. And it's... three? I already finished your chunky monkey and went out and got more ice cream. 5:56:41 PM Nation: Rust: So, what happened? 5:56:56 PM | Edited 5:57:12 PM Light: ... you woke me up in the middle of the night, that's what happened. 5:57:43 PM Nation: Rust: You usually sleep in your bed. With your sword under your bed. Not on your lap like a crazy person. Did the neighborkids make a move? I knew they couldn't be trusted. 5:58:23 PM Light: The neighbor kids didn't -- wait a minute, how the hell do you know where I keep my ... 5:58:36 PM Light: ... I need to get Opener-proof locks, clearly. 5:58:53 PM Nation: Rust: My life would become much worse if such a thng were actually possible. 6:00:31 PM Light: I should feel violated right now. Did you at least make any tea? 6:01:14 PM Nation: Rust: Tea? Nah. It's not good for you. I read that somewhere. 6:02:18 PM Light: ... 6:02:42 PM Light: I accidentally asked a woman on a date, possibly, and then I accidentally killed two people. 6:03:22 PM Nation: Rust widens his eyes. "Wait, wait, wait, wait. Are you okay? You crack up?" 6:03:32 PM Nation: Rust: What are you doing, asking a woman on a date? 6:03:43 PM Nation: Rust: Tell me everything. 6:03:47 PM Light: No, I didn't cr--you do realize I *have* gone on dates before. 6:04:05 PM Light: I forgot, did I tell you about the puppet? I took its hat. 6:04:15 PM Light: Light does not realize how much he sounds like an insane person right now. 6:05:32 PM Nation: Rust: Hrm. Maybe I should make some tea, despite the fact that I read that it rots you from the inside out. 6:06:14 PM Light: I would like to be rotted. I can't tell if the hangover has started yet or if I'm still drunk. 6:07:09 PM Light: Besides, you didn't answer my question. Did I tell you about the puppet? ... that was two days ago. 6:09:52 PM Light: Besides, I didn't mean to ask her out on a date. I had assumed she was evil. 6:14:17 PM Nation: Rust: ... Okay. I'm going to make tea, and you're going to sit here and organize your thoughts so that when I come back you can explain things like a rational person. 6:14:31 PM Light: I *am* a rational person, dammit. 6:15:15 PM Nation: Rust: Right. Thus my concern. You're usually much better at explaining things. So. 6:15:33 PM Nation: He shoves the carton of ice cream into your hands and goes into your kitchen. 6:17:07 PM Light: Light sighs, wipes off the spoon with his shirttails, and starts finishing the rest of the carton. 6:22:26 PM Nation: He comes back a few minutes later with a beer stein full of tea. 6:23:09 PM Light: That's... not a teacup, nevermind, thank you for the tea. 6:23:11 PM Light: Light takes it. 6:23:49 PM Nation: Rust: You appeared to need a lot. 6:23:57 PM Nation: Rust: that's how it works, right? 6:24:05 PM Light: ... yes. 6:25:27 PM Light: All right. 6:25:43 PM Nation: Rust sits down again. "So, let's have it." 6:25:53 PM Light: Light tells him *everything.* From the weird puppet encounter to the weird incident with the people following him. 6:28:31 PM Light: Light includes the woman he may have accidentally asked on a date. 6:28:38 PM Nation: Rust: Is she hot? 6:29:35 PM Light: I don't know, what difference does it--oh. She's attractive, I suppose. I don't know. I didn't actually mean a date. 6:30:35 PM Nation: Rust: It might. 6:31:41 PM Light: It might what? 6:32:04 PM Nation: Rust: Make a difference. In determining whether or not it's a date. 6:32:39 PM Light: How would that make a difference? Ugly people go on dates. I should know, I *am* one. 6:35:34 PM Nation: Rust: I mean from her perspective. You are apparently objectively attractive, I've heard. If she knows she's attractive, and it sounds like the arrangement was made based on shared interests -- then it's a date. 6:35:55 PM Light: I doubt she--wait, heard from *who*? 6:35:56 PM Nation: Rust: and it's the person who is being asked that decides if it's a date or not. 6:36:44 PM Nation: Rust: People! I don't know. I hear things. 6:37:43 PM Nation: Rust: So this really isn't *up* to you. 6:38:51 PM Light: *What* people? 6:39:00 PM Light: Oh. ... well that's a relief, anyway. 6:40:13 PM Nation: Rust: *Relief*! It's a terrifying minefield. 6:41:09 PM Nation: Rust: A million things could go wrong. 6:41:19 PM Light: What? Why? It's her damn problem. 6:43:51 PM Light: You said so yourself. 6:43:52 PM Nation: Rust: Okay. Let's say you dress normally, like it's not a date. Then she shows up wearing a dress that shows off a lot of skin despite being comprised of like, fifty yards of cloth. 6:44:17 PM Nation: Rust: Oh, it's still your problem, my point is just that you have no control over it! 6:44:34 PM Light: ... 6:44:59 PM Light: Light tries to remember what she was wearing, and fails completely, because this is not usually the kind of thing he notices about people and he had a lot on his mind at the time. 6:45:01 PM Nation: Rust: so there you are, dressed like a shlub with this gorgeous woman. 6:45:10 PM Light: She's not gorgeous. 6:45:37 PM Nation: Rust: The inverse is worse. You dress super-nice, shave, all that stuff, spiffy yourself up. And she shows up dressed like, I dont know, a monk. 6:45:44 PM Light: Attractive, certainly, but... 6:46:00 PM Nation: Rust: In both cases, someone ends up looking foolish. Her or you. 6:46:11 PM Light: ... 6:46:16 PM Nation: Rust: Don't even get me started on who pays for the meal. 6:46:17 PM Light: Fine, I'll just send her a note and ask. 6:46:41 PM Nation: Rust: Don't do that! 6:46:55 PM Light: Why not? 6:50:20 PM Nation: Rust: She thinks you're an idiot for not knowing it was or wasn't a date. *Or* she's offended by the question. How dare you presume she could be interested in you! Or how dare you think she's not worth dating? 6:50:41 PM Light: ... and this, this is why I don't date. 6:53:32 PM Nation: Rust: Why not? It's fun. If you dont' believe in love, what's the point? 6:53:41 PM Nation: Rust takes a sip of some tea. 6:54:36 PM Light: *How* many girlfriends have you had again? 6:55:24 PM Nation: Rust: Um. 6:55:27 PM Nation: Rust: Wait. 6:55:33 PM Nation: Rust: I've figured this out before. 6:56:23 PM Nation: Rust: 27. But that's like three when you convert to human years. 6:57:17 PM Light: How long did the last one last? 6:57:57 PM Nation: Rust: Um. Two years. 6:59:31 PM Light: Which is about as long as a fruitfly to you, as I recall you reminding me incessantly during the war. 6:59:42 PM Light: Listening to your advice is the romantic equivalent of suicide. 7:00:13 PM Nation: Rust rolls his eyes. "But I *do* know a lot about first dates. You can't deny that." 7:02:00 PM Light: You do, but apparently making them go well is outside your bailiwick. 7:04:24 PM Nation: Rust shrugs. "Fine then." 7:05:10 PM Light: ... all right, what *do* you think I should do. 7:05:50 PM Nation: Rust: Where is the date going to take place? 7:07:00 PM Light: Some bistro downtown. 7:07:19 PM Light: ... Alistair's? Alazar's? Something like that. 7:08:55 PM Nation: Rust: Alazar's? Okay. That's good. Relaxed environment. Dress *slightly* better than you do to go to work, you'll be fine. 7:09:13 PM Nation: Rust: Don't order the onion soup. Or any soups. I've been in their kitchen. 7:13:30 PM Light: Slightly? 7:13:39 PM Light: ... wait, what's wrong with how I dress to go to work? 7:14:26 PM Nation: Rust: Nothing, I suppose. Just dress a little better than that, and you'll be fine. 7:15:50 PM Light: You suppose? 7:16:18 PM Nation: Rust: You dress fine. I just hate ties. 7:16:37 PM Light: Handy garrote in a pinch. 7:23:38 PM Light: So I dress like I dress at work, but slightly better. No problem. Nothing to worry about. 7:24:23 PM Light: ... except that I killed two people and Feather is still in the hospital and her doctor has disappeared, and I have notes from a book that could be used to destroy a city, which at least two people want. 7:24:53 PM Nation: Rust: Except all those things. 7:26:28 PM Light: .... which *aren't minor.* 7:27:04 PM Nation: Rust: Well, no. 7:28:20 PM Light: ... besides, it's not a date. 7:28:56 PM Nation: Rust: If you say so. 7:29:18 PM Light: I'm too damn old to date. 7:29:30 PM Light: Now why are people trying to kill me, and what am I supposed to do about it? 7:30:22 PM Nation: Rust: Hrm. Well, it either has to do with Feather or your journal. 7:31:13 PM Light: Yeah, that's what I thought. 7:31:31 PM Light: They still won't let me in to see Feather, by the way, even though I pretended to be practically her fiance. 7:31:37 PM Light: Light tells him about the poor nurse, too. 7:31:58 PM Nation: Rust: That's weird. Thats, like, kid-stuff magic. 7:31:59 PM Light: What the hell happened to her husband, anyway? When did he die? 7:32:17 PM | Edited 7:32:26 PM Nation: Rust: Feather's? Um. a couple years ago. 7:32:36 PM Nation: Rust: Illness, as I recall. 7:32:37 PM Light: She didn't invite me to the funeral. 7:32:44 PM Nation: Rust: Me neither. 7:32:54 PM Nation: Rust: It was a small affair. 7:32:58 PM Light: Well I can see why she wouldn't want you. 7:33:04 PM Light: ... wait, how did you know if you weren't... nevermind. 7:33:15 PM Nation: Rust: I think it was just family there. 7:33:32 PM Light: ... I'd've sent a card. 7:34:50 PM Light: I *did* get her to laugh a few times. It's hell to see somebody just lying there like that. 7:35:18 PM Light: ... back in the day, I mean. And now she's just there. 7:38:00 PM Nation: Rust: Yeah. She got a lot of cards. And flowers. And casseroles. I don't get that. I chalk it up to 'humans are weird'. 7:38:17 PM Light: We like to feed people in times of trouble. 7:38:35 PM Light: Light looks down at the ice cream pointedly, and sets aside the completely empty container with a sigh. 7:38:45 PM Light: You are making me fat. 7:41:13 PM Nation: Rust: That's silly. How can something delicious be bad for you? 7:42:08 PM Light: How can you be as old as you are and not know anything about food? 7:42:31 PM Light: Everything delicious is bad for you. I'm going to have double my morning calisthenics because of the damn macaroons. 7:42:33 PM Nation: Rust: I have other things on my immortal brain. 7:42:40 PM Light: Like what? 7:42:55 PM Nation: Rust: Things. You know. Elf stuff. 7:44:06 PM Light: *What* elf stuff? 7:45:27 PM | Edited 7:45:35 PM Nation: Rust: You know, balance of the natural world, walking on snowdrifts without falling into them, seeing really far away, being superior and sanctimonious. Elf stuff. 7:46:09 PM Light: ... you hate the outdoors, Rust. 7:46:19 PM Light: Remember? 7:46:20 PM Light: Bugs? 7:46:23 PM Light: Dirt? 7:46:25 PM Light: Spiders? 7:46:49 PM Nation: Rust: Doesn't mean I'm not *contemplating it*. 7:47:02 PM Light: Light would facepalm, but he's holding his stein of tea in both hands. 7:48:41 PM Light: ... I'd contemplate breaking her out, but if she's sick we can't really contain her. You know what some of them are like. 7:48:49 PM Light: Besides, they know me now at the hospital. 7:51:14 PM Nation: Rust: *If* she's actually mutating at all. 7:51:30 PM Light: Why would they keep her there if she wasn't? 7:52:45 PM Nation: Rust: Why would someone possess a nurse to warn you off? Why would two guys in white try to kill you in the street? 7:55:05 PM Light: People would kill for the information in this book. 7:56:45 PM Light: ... I probably *did*. 8:01:05 PM Light: Light shivers. 8:01:15 PM Light: The things might not all be related. 8:04:48 PM Light: Light kind of stares off in space for a moment. 8:05:25 PM Nation: ((Sorry, had a weird disconnect there.)) 8:05:37 PM Light: ((No worries!)) 8:05:57 PM Nation: Rust: Well. So these guys wore white? 8:06:56 PM Light: Yeah. They did. 8:07:02 PM Light: .... where are you living, anyway? 8:07:47 PM Nation: Rust: That seems rather personal. 8:08:23 PM Light: Light sputters. 8:08:33 PM Light: You've broken into *my* house repeatedly! 8:08:47 PM Light: What do you mean, personal! 8:09:55 PM Nation: Rust: Well, why do you want to know? 8:10:35 PM Light: I *was* going to offer you the spare bedroom. And a key. Not that you need one. 8:11:47 PM Nation: Rust: Well, not really. But I suppose I wouldn't turn down the offer. 8:12:24 PM Light: Good. 8:12:58 PM Light: ... I'm not exactly thrilled to be alone here at the moment. As you can see by the fact that I was sleeping in the kitchen. 8:15:10 PM Light: ... in a chair. 8:15:15 PM Light: ... drunk. 8:15:22 PM Light: ... I've had better weeks. 8:22:53 PM Nation: Rust: Clearly. 8:23:05 PM Nation: Rust: Alright, then. 8:23:43 PM Light: ... try not to make huge messes. 8:23:59 PM Light: What should we do next? There's no way I'm going to work today. 8:24:12 PM Light: I can't just go around killing people. 8:24:28 PM Nation: Rust: sounded like it was totally self-defense. 8:26:03 PM Light: I can defend myself without killing people. 8:26:08 PM Light: ... or at least, I *thought* I could. 8:27:13 PM Nation: Rust: Maybe, maybe not. 8:27:40 PM Light: I thought I was over it. I was *supposed to be* over it. 8:31:07 PM Nation: Rust: Over what? 8:32:37 PM Light: Light shifts, uncomfortably. 8:34:14 PM Light: ... the war. 8:36:32 PM Nation: Rust: Oh. Well. 8:37:18 PM Nation: Rust puts a hand out and awkwardly pats Light's shoulder. "Um." 8:38:06 PM Light: I'm fine. ... I *thought* I was. Dammit. 8:42:55 PM Light: ... the hell with it. What do we do next, I'm tired of running around having things happening to me. 8:43:08 PM Light: I would like to happen to somebody *else.* 8:43:31 PM Nation: Rust haltingly pats Light's shoulder. "Well. Um. " 8:47:31 PM Light: Yeah, just answer the damn question. I don't want a hug. 8:47:33 PM Light: I'm not a hugger. 8:47:58 PM Nation: Rust: Oh, good. 8:48:24 PM Nation: He drops his hand. "Well. I'm looking for the disappeared doctor, currently." 8:48:45 PM Light: Any luck? Try any finding spells? 8:50:04 PM Nation: Rust: Of course I did. I got nothing. Not off my initial Findings. I set up some more methodical spells, though. Nothing on that, yet. 8:51:13 PM Light: Want me to try? 8:52:28 PM Nation: Rust: If you want. The spells are inherently slow, though. 8:53:02 PM Light: I've been practicing since the war. ... and teaching. 8:54:57 PM Nation: Rust: Couldn't hurt. 8:56:17 PM | Edited 9:00:02 PM Light: Light stands up, rubbing his forehead and his left eye, and then picks up his sword to cast the spell. Rather than doing one of the standard ones, he tries a couple of variants, with slightly different endpoints. 9:00:31 PM Light: Light has taught these things in class before, with the point being that there's usually more than one way to do things with magic. 9:03:19 PM Nation: You doing a quick casting immediate spell, or a more powerful but slowing working spell? 9:03:49 PM Light: Light does both. 9:04:16 PM Light: Light also sends them after slightly different bits of information and does at least one of them in a way designed to get around any blocks. 9:09:22 PM Nation: Okay! The immediates return with nothing. The others... well, you'll get input back when they've found something. 9:14:37 PM Light: Nothing from the little ones. We'll see about the others. 9:14:41 PM Light: Light shakes his head. 9:14:45 PM Light: What else can we do? 9:16:29 PM Nation: Rust: Not much. I think this doctor is the key. Why did he disappear? 9:18:56 PM Light: I have no idea, but when I find him I'm going to hand you my sword so I can kick the shit out of him without killing him. 9:19:28 PM Nation: Rust: ... if he's to blame in anyway. Maybe he was grabbed by this guys in white. 9:20:10 PM Light: ... maybe. 9:20:19 PM Light: If so he should've damn well told me what was going on. 9:21:28 PM Nation: Rust: Maybe he didn't have a chance. 9:23:01 PM Light: You have a point. 9:24:14 PM | Edited 9:24:24 PM Nation: Rust: Of course I do. 9:24:30 PM Light: ... what day is it? Is it Thursday? 9:25:27 PM Nation: Rust: It's very early wednesday. Around four now. 9:26:25 PM Light: Why *did* you wake me up so early, anyway? 9:26:31 PM Light: Light rubs his face. 9:27:29 PM Nation: Rust: I didn't. I was just sitting here, and you woke up on your own. 9:28:28 PM Light: ... you were sitting here, staring at me while I slept? 9:28:41 PM Nation: Rust: And eating ice cream. 9:29:53 PM Light: ... that's not at *all* what a creepy stalker would do. 9:30:18 PM Nation: Rust: Excellent. I was going for 'not a creepy stalker because they wouldn't do this'. 9:31:19 PM Light: As long as you don't have a crush on me. 9:31:36 PM Nation: Rust: Ew. 9:32:14 PM Light: Thanks. 9:33:07 PM Light: .... which reminds me, *who* said I was objectively attractive? 9:33:22 PM Light: And why didn't you pass that information along when it could potentially do some good. 9:33:58 PM Nation: Rust: It was a general undercurrent of sentiment my finely honed senses picked up. 9:34:44 PM Light: Yeah, but where and from who? 9:35:38 PM Nation: Rust: I dunno! Women! Female officers and soldiers in the bars and whatnot. 9:36:45 PM Light: Light narrows his eyes at his friend. 9:39:42 PM Light: *Who*. 9:40:49 PM Nation: Rust shrugs. "I didn't get full names and dossiers!" 9:42:58 PM Nation: Rust: And this was years ago. 9:43:32 PM Light: There was more than *one*? 9:44:21 PM Nation: Rust: Yes! Like I said, it was a general sentiment I picked up on. 9:45:21 PM Light: ... well. 9:45:38 PM Light: ... that was a long time ago. 9:57:44 PM Nation: Rust shrugs again, non-commital. "Don't you have students stalking you?" 9:58:07 PM Light: *One* student, and she was mentally ill. 9:59:02 PM Nation: Rust: Well, there you go. You are so attractive you drove her mad. 9:59:26 PM Light: No, she was nuts before she started picking on me. 10:00:10 PM Nation: Rust sighs. "Well, okay, I'm offically done trying to increase your self-esteem about your appearance. You're exhausting." 10:02:07 PM Light: I'm exhausting! You woke me up at 4 a.m.! 10:02:17 PM Light: ... can we go hit somebody? 10:03:23 PM Nation: Rust: I'm going to bed. You can hit anybody you want. THough I wouldn't suggest it. 10:03:54 PM Light: Light sighs. 10:04:08 PM Light: Fine. I'll go to the hospital and... camp out in front of her damn door. I liked Feather. 10:06:30 PM Nation: Rust: Try not to hit anyone. 10:06:42 PM Nation: Rust: Though that would be the place to do it. 10:06:58 PM Light: Yeah? 10:07:38 PM Nation: Rust: There are doctors right there. 10:08:59 PM Nation: He heads to your spare room! 10:09:05 PM Nation: And we'll leave it there, I think. 10:10:34 PM Light: ((Awwww.)) 10:21:07 PM Light: Light washes up and gets dressed and shaved and tries not to look like a barbarian who slaughtered two people the previous night, and goes to the hospital. He does bring the sword, though. 10:21:36 PM Nation: So, you go to the hospital. There is a guard posted to Feather's door, who looks oddly as you approach with the sword. 10:22:04 PM Light: Light sighs at him. 10:22:16 PM Light: Who is her doctor now? 10:23:09 PM Nation: ((It's the same doctor that you talked to earlier. Hasn't changed. Though the doctor is not here right now. 10:24:11 PM Light: Light peeks through the door to check she's still in there, and then goes to check in with the nurse at the desk. 10:24:30 PM Nation: She is still in there. And it's a different receptionist, too. 10:24:49 PM Light: ... hi. 10:25:02 PM Light: ... where's the other nurse, the one who was here two days ago? 10:25:22 PM Nation: Nurse (This one's a guy): SHe's not on duty right now. 10:25:33 PM Light: Oh, all right. 10:26:15 PM Light: ... I'm here to see Feather. I've been here most days lately. I would really like to see her. Please. Even if it's just to hold her hand while she sleeps. 10:27:29 PM Nation: Nurse: I'm afraid that no one can see her right now, for her safety and yours. 10:28:01 PM Light: Yeah, that's... the same thing I keep getting told, over and over again. 10:28:20 PM Light: I don't understand. What's going on? 10:29:24 PM Nation: Nurse: She was admitted for magical mutation. We have not been able to determine the extent of it. It doesn't help that her first doctor, who is an expert in these cases, disappeared, leaving none of his notes behind. 10:30:34 PM Light: H... 10:30:42 PM Light: ... wait, he didn't leave his notes behind? 10:31:45 PM Nation: Nurse: If he did, we can't find them. 10:33:36 PM Light: ... 10:33:41 PM Light: Light *knows* he saw them. 10:33:48 PM Light: This is being treated as an abduction, right? 10:34:14 PM Nation: Nurse: Yes. 10:35:28 PM Light: Good. 10:35:35 PM Light: ... because I *saw* the doctor's notes after he disappeared. 10:35:40 PM Light: So somebody went back and took them. 10:36:20 PM Nation: The nurse looks at you skeptically: I don't know anything about that, sir. 10:36:49 PM Light: Yeah, because I didn't want to get into trouble for snooping in somebody else's private records. 10:37:08 PM Light: Look. In theory, *could* the doctor let me in to see her? 10:39:00 PM Nation: Nurse: ...yes, it's up to him. 10:39:08 PM Light: Light sighs. 10:39:15 PM Light: When will he be in? 10:39:50 PM Nation: Nurse: Noon, I believe. 10:40:06 PM Light: Light is halfway pondering going home, dragging Rust out of bed and forcing him to open the damn building. 10:40:55 PM Light: All right. What entrance does he normally use, I can wait there. 10:42:19 PM Light: Light is *not* going away, dammit. 10:42:20 PM Nation: Nurse: Main entrance, I believe. 10:42:37 PM Light: Light nods, and goes there to WAIT FOREVER IF HE HAS TO DAMMIT. 10:43:01 PM Nation: Okay. 10:43:24 PM Nation: So you settle in for a seven hour wait. 10:43:59 PM Light: Light *does*. Because he will show them! THEY WILL ALL BE SORRY. 10:44:00 PM Light: ... 10:44:24 PM Light: Light realizes he's turning into a supervillain, and goes to the hospital cafeteria, buys a hot tea and *then* goes to wait. 10:50:22 PM Nation: Okay. The seven hours do not fly by. 10:51:21 PM Light: Light does get bored, but since he's ultra-freakin'-paranoid now, at least he's also more jittery than he should be. 10:51:44 PM Nation: you see the doctor come in, carrying a briefcase. 10:52:03 PM Light: Light waves at him, trying not to look like a crazy stalker who's been waiting there for seven hours for him. 10:53:12 PM Nation: Doctor: Oh... yes. Mr. Light. 10:54:00 PM Light: Any change in her condition? 10:54:34 PM Light: Any chance that I can see her? ... if she's going to stay that way, I can't see how it could hurt to wake her up. One last time. 10:55:58 PM Nation: Doctor: I can't wake her up, but... if you want to sign a waiver, I can let you into her room, I suppose. 10:56:06 PM Light: Yes. I will sign anything. 10:57:04 PM Nation: Doctor: All right, come to my office. 10:57:29 PM Light: Light follows him! 10:58:51 PM Nation: He has you sign a waiver indicating, basically, that if she flips out and kills you it's not the hospital's fault. 10:59:25 PM Light: Light signs that shit. 11:01:23 PM Nation: Doctor: all right, then, c'mon, I'll let you into her room. 11:02:07 PM Light: Light goes, immensely relieved. 11:04:46 PM Nation: He clears you with the guard, and unlocks the door to her room, allowing you to sit there while he checks on her for the day. 11:06:10 PM Light: Light sits quietly. Play nice. Play nice. Play niiiiice. 11:08:48 PM Light: Light does not move until the doctor is done! 11:08:51 PM Light: Light is being Good. 11:15:08 PM Nation: He does his check, jots some notes down. "This room is warded. For her safety and yours, I'd refrain from any magic in this room." 11:16:08 PM Light: That makes sense. 11:16:12 PM Light: Light does not promise, however. 11:17:19 PM Nation: Well, mutation is a result of too much exposure to magical energy, which is inherently reality-warping. 11:17:46 PM Light: Light waits for the doctor to leave. 11:20:16 PM Nation: He does, eventually. 11:20:42 PM Light: Light drags a chair up next to Feather's bed and takes her hand, quietly. 11:22:12 PM Light: Light will wait to see if that wakes her up all by itself, and then give her a gentle shake and say her name. 11:22:29 PM Nation: Nothin. 11:23:21 PM Light: Feather? It's me, Light. 11:23:32 PM Light: You're in the hospital. 11:24:22 PM Nation: Still nothin. 11:24:54 PM Light: They said you've got a mutation. But I wasn't entirely certain. I managed to get them to let me in, finally. 11:26:14 PM Nation: The conversation continues to be one-sided. 11:26:30 PM Light: Light lowers his voice. 11:26:54 PM Light: I'm going to go against doctor's orders and try to work out what's wrong with you. I would prefer it if you didn't blow up the hospital or do that thing where you shred me. 11:27:07 PM Light: I like my skin on. 11:27:19 PM Light: Light squeezes her hand. 11:29:21 PM Nation: She does not squeeze back. 11:30:52 PM Light: Light tries to cast a diagnostic spell on her, using, again, some methods that would normally be considered unorthodox and oblique. 11:32:59 PM Nation: What are you trying to determine? 11:33:17 PM Light: ((What's really wrong with her, if anything is. And if there's just a sleep spell put on her instead.)) 11:35:44 PM Nation: Oh, there is a sleep spell. Her orignal doctor told you that she was being kept sedated until they could determine the extent of her mutation. It's pretty standard. 11:36:01 PM Light: ((But is it JUST that? Or a mutation?)) 11:37:16 PM Nation: He can't tell. There's some other magic on her, but he's not enough of a specialist in detecting mutation to figure if that's it. 11:37:31 PM Light: ((Can I dispell it *all*?)) 11:38:32 PM Nation: The sleep spell, yes. 11:38:41 PM Light: ((Not all of it?)) 11:38:50 PM Light: ((Cause I wanna dispel all of it.)) 11:40:19 PM Nation: You don't know what the other magic is. 11:40:40 PM Light: ((Ah, but he also doesn't *care.*)) 11:41:06 PM Light: ((He's not really all that stable of mind right now and does recognize that she might, for example, turn him inside out when she wakes up crazy.)) 11:41:12 PM Light: ((I just don't think he cares.)) 11:41:58 PM Nation: Well, yeah, in that case, you can wipe it all out. 11:42:33 PM Light: Light *does.* 11:43:37 PM Light: Light doesn't really have the capacity to be afraid right now, and if he did, he probably would *not* have done that. 11:43:40 PM Nation: She gasps, and wakes up, sitting bolt upright in bed and looking around, eyes eventually focusing on you. 11:44:23 PM Light: Feather. Stay calm, please. You're in the hospital; they said you had a mutation. I got a journal in the mail, do you know anything about it? 11:44:48 PM Light: Light rests a hand over her hand. Possibly to try to be comforting, and possibly to try to stop her if she does anything crazy. 11:44:58 PM Nation: Feather: Light? Did you wake me up? 11:45:04 PM Nation: She pulls her hand away. 11:45:09 PM Light: Yes. If that was the wrong thing to do, I'm sorry. 11:45:14 PM Light: Light lets her. 11:47:09 PM Nation: Feather: Dammit. As long as I was out, my daughter was safe. 11:47:57 PM Light: Tell me what's going on, then I can put you back under. Or bring the doctor in. 11:48:04 PM Light: *Please* tell me what's going on. 11:53:13 PM Nation: Feather: .. I was doing some freelance work for the government. I infiltrated this group of vets who were planning something terrible. They found out who I was and that I wasn't really one of them. I stole that journal from them. They found out about me, and about my daughter. 11:53:41 PM Nation: Feather: I got myself admitted here, knowing that if I was here, I was safe. 11:54:17 PM Nation: Feather: And so was my daughter. 11:54:22 PM Light: *Where* is your daughter, is Rust involved? Tell me Rust is not involved. 11:54:54 PM Nation: Feather: Rust? of course not. He's many things. Many, many things. Many, many, many things, but he's not a terrorist. 11:55:04 PM Light: Some chick named Moray? 11:55:05 PM Nation: Feather: I found out that these vets have ties to the government. 11:55:16 PM Nation: Feather: That's who they stole the journal from. 11:55:23 PM Light: She's not involved either. Good. 11:56:18 PM Light: All right. Do you want to go back under, pretend nothing's changed? I can try to find your daughter while you are. Or... why did you send the journal to me,you must've known I'd keep picking at it. I've killed two people. 11:56:32 PM Nation: Feather: What? Who? 11:57:22 PM Light: People in white who were following me around. I asked them why and they attacked me. 11:58:21 PM Nation: Feather: You met with Moray? They must have seen that and figured you were involved. 11:58:53 PM Nation: Feather: The men in white, they're involved with this group. 11:59:16 PM Light: Yes. I may have asked her on a date. I'm not sure. Do you want to go back to sleep, because if you do, now would be the time, before they notice. 12:00:37 AM Nation: Feather: ... no, I'm awake now. They put a tether on me -- I can feel that you dispelled that, too. They would have noticed. 12:00:57 AM Light: ... I'm sorry, I didn't know. I had to know, and... I feel weird. 12:01:41 AM Nation: Feather: We all deal with the war differently. I threw msyelf into black ops work. Rust is... well, Rust. 12:02:07 AM Light: ... then let's get out of here and find your kid. What was her name again? 12:02:17 AM Nation: Feather: I wish I had had more time to explain things to you, but I didn't. 12:02:39 AM Nation: Feather: Divia. 12:03:24 AM Light: Right. Let's go. 12:03:31 AM Light: .... are you okay? 12:06:15 AM Nation: Feather: I'm weak. I've been sleeping for days. I think I'm going to stay here, though. You don't need the Inspectors on you, too. If I disappear from here after being visited by you, you''re suspect number one. 12:07:15 AM Light: If they know you're awake, they'll come after you here, Feather. 12:08:28 AM Nation: Feather: I'll get out on my own, after I settle things here. 12:10:39 AM Light: ... I'm not leaving you behind. 12:11:19 AM Nation: Feather: I can take care of myself. Just go, would you? 12:12:25 AM Light: Oh yes, I'm going to leave you here after you've told me you're weak and unable to defend yourself. Are you crazy? 12:12:30 AM Light: Do you remember me at *all*? 12:18:34 AM Nation: Feather: ....fine. 12:20:49 AM Light: Let's get out of here and find Divia. And Rust. Because if they know about you and me, they're gonna trash my house. And I need the journal, too. 12:21:52 AM Nation: She nods, and shakily gets out of bed. 12:22:26 AM Light: Light offers her a hand.